Strawberries and Tear Drops
by MakoRain
Summary: Just a nice little oneshot with Tifa reminiscing about the good old days sigh


A/N: Sorry but here's more of that CloTi goodness I just can't stop writing. This one was fueled from "Summer Love" by Justin Timberlake since I just got his CD last week. As always, read and review please disclaimer: Alas, I do not own these characters, but I take credit in writing about them 3

"**Strawberries and Tear Drops"**

**By MakoRain**

It was one of those nights, the kind she felt she couldn't live through; the walls would close in, pressing all of that empty space filled with sorrow, hurt, anger, tears in on her. But somehow she would breathe again and it would all go away, receding to a dark corner in her mind to be dealt with another day. Tonight was harder and Tifa couldn't sleep through it, instead pushing the blankets off to move about and release the nervous energy stirring in her bones. Pacing her room didn't seem to help clear her mind after the eighth lap around but it did seem wear her out for which she was thankful. Now less tense, she headed to her closet to retrieve her ever faithful secret box, tucked away with her secret desires.

Before, Tifa would have went to Cloud with her troubles, not always to talk but sometimes just to…_be_…without expectations. He always understood…but now he wasn't across the hall anymore. That option gone, she instead compiled a secret treasure of pictures and trinkets that reminded her of Cloud, her best friend and secret love ever since he left and then miraculously returned to her after SOLDIER.

That was just who he was; Cloud Strife: faithful friend, always hiding his emotions, dependable hero in time of need…but she wasn't in mortal danger and so he was no where to be found. She didn't understand why he did this, just up and left once the last crisis was averted only to appear whenever the next one raised its ugly head. There was always some new creature to destroy or threat to fight and so Tifa couldn't fathom why Cloud would leave and come back letting the twisted cycle continue its path. Why couldn't he just stay? Not all problems were manifested physically…why couldn't he be there for her like he used to be? The keeper of secrets, her dreams, solver of her problems, her confident best friend?

Well, since he could not for whatever reason he needed, she had made the box. It was plain to look at but looks can be deceiving and Tifa fondly carried it to place on her bed spread before opening it. At the top were photographs; first of her parents smiling in front of their house, that was before The Nightmare or SOLDIER or Geostigma…it was a better time. Tifa smiled lovingly and grazed the figure images before sighing and placing it aside on the bed, reaching in for the next on the pile.

The next snapshot filled her with long lost childhood joy as she took in the pose of her and Cloud at their well. His hair was as spiky as ever and Tifa recalled ruffling it right before his mother took this photo; he had moved her hands away and held their clasped hands in his lap, forever capturing their connection. Cloud, where are you? Why aren't you here with me?

Underneath this picture laid a piece of paper plain in appearance but it was something she would always cherish. Tifa unfolded it and read the first line, recalling Cloud's first real valentine he had ever given her; he had waited until after school when she wasn't surrounded by boys and to give it to her in private. He was so nervous, pulling his hands through his hair in that adorable boyish way he still did to this day. She looked down at the writing…it said simply

_sTrawberries are red,_

_the sky is bLue._

_i'm over my head,_

_AND Clearly itS for you. _

They had been teenagers and that was all he wrote but she saw his deeper meaning, that small token of affection and it had always stayed with her in her mind; _TL And CS. _She remembered hugging him and inviting him in for strawberries; it was their favorite treat and they always ate them together. Rereading it now brought tears to her eyes and she brought the page to her nose, the faint scent of fresh mountain air and rain still clinging to it. Tifa always loved Cloud's scent and breathed it in deeply, feeling it fill her until she was on the verge of tears. Quickly she put the page down, reaching for the box for something, anything to stop the lump from forming in her throat.

The next photo didn't help, instead pulling a sob from her mouth before she quickly covered it with her hand, the other still clutching the picture tightly. It was the most recent she had of them all together: Marlene and Denzel stood in front of Tifa, all three smiling at the camera while Cloud stood off to the side not completely a part of the group but not excluded either. He could have them if he wanted, did he know that?

Tifa put the snapshot down eyes blurring over with tears. She hated this, hated needing him, wanting his touch, his smile, his kiss and never being satisfied. This power he held over her, making her weak; it hurt so much. Tifa Lockheart hated loving Cloud Strife, but what else could she do? Her heart had been his for so long and she couldn't take it back, not with it so far away with him wherever he was. All she could do was hope and wish and cry, and so she did. Curling up on her bed she cried bitter tears for her clouded heart locked in strife. It was all she could do to live through this night into the next day; she would be stronger, she just needed time…time was all she had.

The feeling of eyes on her stirred Tifa somewhere around early morning, just before sunrise and she couldn't help thinking Cloud? Her heart involuntarily leapt to life, beating frantically as her eyes scanned the room on her side of the bed…over the window, past the closet; he had to be there, she could smell the rain that always saturated his skin. Suddenly she looked down at her left hand, something was different; another set of fingers encircled hers, and slowly she followed the gloved hand up the arm until she reached his face. Cloud's mako enhanced orbs locked with hers, and suddenly everything felt real; she wasn't just stuck in place, watching the world go by…she was in it, in this little place with Cloud laying down next to her on her bed.

"Cloud."

The word brought a smile to her face and a tear to her eye; trailing down her lip until it he reached over and brushed it across her with one gloved hand. Before he could fully pull away, Tifa took hold of that hand and slowly pulled off the barrier between their skin, feeling warmth spread from his hand to hers as they made contact.

"Tifa."

She couldn't take it anymore and threw her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck while he slowly encircled her waist in his arms, tracing slow circles on the small of her back the way she loved like he used to do to comfort her.

"I'm here, Teef."

She pulled back and looked at his features, the cerulean depths of his eyes, soft lips, gravity defying hair; she traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. Yes, he was there all right, but for how long? Before she could finally as the question she'd been dwelling on for months, Cloud held her face in his hands, both uncovered and making full contact with her skin. God, how long had it been since she'd felt his hands? Tifa leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as she felt his fingers trail her neck and jaw before stopping to slowly graze her bottom lip, opening her eyes to find Cloud's focused on her completely.

The moment stretched for eternity before he closed the distance, placing a simple sweet savory kiss on her lips. The taste of strawberries and rain with the hint of salt from her tear…she wondered if he could taste the strawberries and tear drops on her as well. All too soon they pulled apart and Tifa never felt more love for the man before her than now.

"Strawberries," she whispered, smiling to hear him echo the word with her. Cloud gently laid them down to rest, Tifa placing her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat. She fell asleep in peace, his hands running through her hair and as always, her dreams were filled with Cloud Strife.


End file.
